


king that should have been

by ryswell



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, King Renly Baratheon, renlyweek2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 19:16:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16838743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryswell/pseuds/ryswell
Summary: Renly sits upon the Iron Throne and it feels right. It’s made of his ancestors’ fallen foes’ weapons, mixed with the blood of kings and queens, high above everyone who mocked him.For RenlyWeek2018 on tumblr!





	king that should have been

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a draft, sorry I couldn’t properly finish it!! 
> 
> Idk what this is (I don’t even like Renly all that much, but his story and character is very interesting and imo should be looked into more). I’ve never been into Renly/Loras, nothing against it though, but have found Renly & Margaery an interesting friendship so... this.
> 
> Also, very wish fulfilment but... *shurg*

Renly sits upon the Iron Throne and it feels  _ right _ . It’s made of his ancestors’ fallen foes’ weapons, mixed with the blood of kings and queens, high above everyone who mocked him.

Yet a part of him - the part that had giggled when Robert carried him in his shoulders and listened intently when Stannis grudgingly told him stories and bounced a squealing Joffrey on his knee - wondered if it was worth it.

_ Stannis would have killed me _ , he reasons with himself,  _ and Joffrey wouldn’t have hesitated to take off my head. _

They both would have been bad kings, too. Stannis focuses on laws and politics and not the people, Joffrey a complete madman - boy, really. He was right to take the throne, to save the realm. Renly would gladly carry the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders.  _ Other kings have made this bed, now I must lie in it. _

_ - _

Robert had left a complete mess behind, one that Renly resolved to clean.

First, he needed to sort out the succession. Shireen was his heir for now, until he had a son or a daughter. “The order of heirs is in age, not gender. One may have a girl then a dozen sons but the girl will be first in succession,” he’d declared, encouraged by Margaery's pleased look. 

Second, the other kings had to be dealt with. After some half-hearted debating, he’d given Robb Stark the North (the Riverlands’ borders were to be decided), which has practically been ruling itself for years. Balon Greyjoy was easily crushed, Lady Asha happy to unite their kingdoms again. 

Third, Westeros’ deep wounds had to be healed. Not just the destroyed kings but the enemies of his house; the Martells had lost much and Robert did not bother to ease their pain - Renly will. He invites Prince Quentyn to sit on his council, knowing Doran himself is ill and his heiress should be in Dorne. The Lannisters could not be rewarded as such but neither would Renly butcher them all (he was a scared little boy once, eating rats and wondering how Mad Aerys would kill him if they lost) but Tywin Lannister, his twins and Joffrey are executed, with Tyrion placed as lord and the younger children in the capital for now.

Fourth, to prevent any tyrants like Aegon the Unworthy or Mad Aerys or Joffrey, Renly created an establishment similar to the small council except it  _ wasn’t _ small - Margaery had coined it the parliament - which gave the people more power. 

-

Although Shireen was an ideal heiress, smart and sweet, Renly had to prove himself a proper king, a proper  _ man _ . That meant he had to father his own heirs which was… difficult. If Margaery was not so accepting and gracious Renly does not think he could have ever had a child but half a year after his coronation it is announced Queen Margaery is with child.

Margaery glows, as ever. Loras is - there is joy, obviously, but a bit of defeat too. 

He claims his next law, supported by the parliament, is for all the Kingsguard that have suffered in their duties but really it’s for Loras, who does not deserve to spend his life watching his sister and lover together. The Kingsguard do not serve for life but five-and-twenty years. Renly hoped this would help Loras and his other knights, for dedicating your entire life to another must be rather hard. 

“Why?” Loras asks after court. “Do you not think I wish to be with you?”

“Certainly, I do,” Renly argues fiercely. “I love you. That is why I cannot condemn you to a life of us being so close yet so far.”

Loras sighs and he looks so beautiful, golden eyes cast down. “What shall I do when my time is up?”

“You make it sound like it’s your death - but Loras, it’s your freedom. You shall be a wizened warrior, brother to a queen and favourite of a king, with the whole world at your fingertips. You know what you should do?  _ Live _ .”

-

Princess Juliana’s birth brings celebration to the realm, with hundreds of lords already casting their second sons and brothers at the heir to the throne. Renly hates that he’s so unsure around his child - he was the youngest sibling, youngest in Storm’s End. 

And Margaery, for all her love, is not maternal either. They both have been spoilt all their lives if truth be told and vow that their daughter will not be. Robert was spoilt, Cersei was spoilt, Joffrey was spoilt. Yet at the same time - Renly wants to give Juliana  _ the world.  _ (Really, she's his world.)

He had never thought to have a child of his blood, hadn’t ever thought he’d wed - Tommen could have been his heir - but now that he has his little girl… Renly cannot describe the love he feels for this child. He’d always thought a parents love for their child could never be that great (though he never knew a parents love) but now he understands. Understands why Cersei did everything for Joffrey; understands why Jon Arryn went to war with Robert all those years ago.

Queen Juliana Baratheon the First of Her Name. She shall be the greatest to sit the Iron Throne. 

-

Ten years into his reign they hold a celebratory tourney and feast. The King in the North comes with Queen Jeyne and their children. Princess Eddara was the heiress to the North and quickly became a favourite of Juliana. Eddara’s brother Jonos went red whenever Juliana entered the room which was rather endearing and the match might’ve been a good one - except Juliana was betrothed to Nymar, son of Princess Arianne and her consort Theon (wasn’t that an odd marriage).

Still, alliances were always important and Renly did ask King Robb if his heiress would like to foster in the capital but Eddara herself denied, claiming she needed to grow up among her people. Rather honourable, she was.

Juliana sulked for an hour or so, before remembering she is a  _ princess,  _ who puts others’ needs before her own. 

_ Your children are your legacy,  _ Renly thinks. Then he wonders what his parents would think of him - which is odd as he doesn’t often think of Lord Steffon and Lady Cassana.

In a way, it’s like they’re not his parents - he has absolutely no memories of either, only portraits and stories to go on of who they were. Steffon was cousin and friend to Mad Aerys, apparently a reserved, welcoming man who was a truly excellent father. Cassana was an opinionated, passionate woman who liked being in control, and according to Cressen she couldn’t sing well but sang to him every night anyway.

How different things might’ve been if they didn’t board that ship.

-

Renly likes going on royal progresses, visiting lords and ladies all across the realm. Juliana enjoys them too, though she isn’t as good on horseback as she’d like and thrives at court in a way she doesn’t anywhere else except perhaps Storm’s End, which is ruled by his legitimised nephew Edric  _ Baratheon _ and his wife Elia Sand-Martell. 

There are still those who support Stannis, those who record everything he’s done wrong, who count him having Juliana as an insult to Stannis’ heir. But they are few and far between, and Renly doubts he’ll have to worry about them, ever.

He is far more welcome in Sunspear, though Margaery is wary, and is pleasantly surprised to find Princess Sansa is to wed Prince Quentyn in a year’s time.  _ Let them be young and in love without a care in the world,  _ he prays.

Juliana adores the fruits and spices and fashions of Dorne but she goes bright red in the sun and has to wear a veil whenever she’s outside - and she lets known how little she likes that. Prince Nymar has no qualms about staying inside too, to show her around the palace and Margaery sighs happily, speaking of  _ young love. _

At night - they share a bed in Dorne, if only to quieten any whispers, though they keep to their own rooms in the capital - Renly admits his fears for the future, for Juliana.

“Aegon the Conqueror and Tywin Lannister and Robert all worked so hard to make a dynasty that would last a thousand years - but what if this has all been for naught?”  _ This  _ is Stannis, mainly, and the bubbling guilt Renly can’t put down no matter how hard he tries. “How shall the histories remember me?”

Margaery laughs. “Men think too often of what will happen when the are dead. Some will call you a kingslayer and a kinslayer but you are a good king, always have been, loyal to your friends and burial to your enemies. Everyone has their flaws, Renly.

“And your dynasty shall be quite fine. Now, sleep, and worry about our great-great grandchild’s futures later.”

Renly does as he’s told, deciding that as ever his queen is correct.


End file.
